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The Joint Staff assessment was ordered following recent intelligence reports indicating development work on the North Korean KN-08 mobile ICBM is nearing completion. Several KN-08s were spotted moving around North Korea in January.

The assessment is also expected to address whether North Korea will share the mobile ICBM technology with Iran. North Korea in the past has sold and shared its ballistic missile technology with Tehran, including the medium-range Nodong that Iran calls the Shahab-3.

The study is expected to impact the Obama administration’s plans for U.S. missile defenses.

Currently, the Pentagon operates a limited missile defense system designed to counter a small number of long-range North Korean missiles with 30 interceptors based in Alaska and California.

In theory, such a missile could cover more than 10,000 km range with a light warhead.

If real, the KN-08 could be quickly launched from anywhere, easily carrying a heavier satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) than the Unha-2/-3.

Therefore, the question arises why the North Koreans would spend so much effort on the Taepodong 2/Unha program, using outdated technology, when they already have a far superior rocket up their sleeves.

Finally, while analysts who believe the missile was fake have argued that the KN-08, if liquid fueled, would not suitable for a land mobile launcher, they neglect the fact that the North already has an operational liquid fueled missile: the Nodong-B, which is 17 meters long, only a few meters shorter than the KN-08.

In summary, North Korea’s purchase and modification of these vehicles to serve as TELs for the KN-08 indicates a significant commitment of resources that would not have been made if the program was fake.